The Chronicles of Casey and Derek
by xSecretHeart
Summary: Uploaded/Updated: 8/23/12. A collection of non-related fluffy one-shots between Dasey. Follow, review, & enjoy! Will be updated sporadically. T for situations and possible swearing. -Las Vegas, Post-it Note flirting, and trapped in a library?
1. Marry You

**Marry You  
**

**Description: **Songfic! America has romanticized the craziness that is Las Vegas throughout entertainment; and no one knows entertainment or going crazy like Derek Venturi. So when he turned twenty-one, he had big plans. Huge plans. You might even call them, colossal. ...But plans were meant to be broken, right?**  
**

**Disclaimer / A / N :** I've deleted the stand-alone oneshot in order to place it into this new conglomerate of short stories I'll be adding onto. / I apologize if the plot seems a bit rushed, but that's the theme of the song, yes? Please, enjoy and review!

I own neither Bruno Mars's music, nor the wonderful show itself, which was created by Daphne Ballon.

* * *

America has romanticized the craziness that is Las Vegas throughout entertainment; and no one knows entertainment (or going crazy) like Derek Venturi. So when he turned twenty-one, he had big plans. Huge plans. You might even call them, _colossal_. ...But plans were meant to be broken, right?

While outlining this "Cornerstone of a Young Man's Life" (copyright D. Venturi) to his dad and step-mother, he appealed to them by listing off the money he saved up, the budget he's arranged from said money, the route as well as a detailed itinerary (exact hotels, clubs, casinos, and bars he'd be going to), _and_ agreed to call (this clause including each of his guests as well, if need be) home to check-in during each 24-hour period of the five days, right around dinner time. He let them sleep on the decision. He even threw in the fact that although he's had to live with _Casey_ in their joint apartment for college, he has yet to kill her.

What they didn't know though, was that he was far from killing her. So far away from that thought, that he felt like he _needed_ this man-getaway to keep himself from maybe possibly falling for her. They could have used that knowledge before smiling at their son the next afternoon, as if this little favor wouldn't wrinkle up his precious trip _that_ much, handing him their addendum to his pamphlet of CoaYML.

_Allow your step-sibling, Casey McDonald, the option of going, as well as 1 or 2 of her friends if she agrees._

Shit.

Reverting to highschool, pre-live-in Derek, he raised both his eyebrows pseudo-incredulously at the two. "Really. You think Casey, 'Study until I cry,' 'Reorganize when I'm bored,' 'Sleep at 9:30pm,' _Casey_, will _want_ to come on this trip? And even if she does, wouldn't she just feel out of place? Or constantly nag us all into her definition of behaving?"

His father sighed, "Derek, we're not _making_ you take her. We're just making you _ask_ if she wants to be included in this."

"And, from what I hear from Casey, you guys have been getting along surprisingly well anyway," continued his step-mother, reasonably.

_Casey._ He huffed, conceding to this new roadblock.

"I overheard you talking to them last night about this. I also heard them making you ask me. I'm in." She didn't even look up from her laptop screen, as she laid stomach-down on her bed and smirked.

"Case. Just. Just look at me."

Her baby-blues slid across the room until she caught his hazel ones. Unbeknownst to her, his breath hitched, but she did notice that every particle in his body seemed to be begging her not to go, for some unknown reason. That hurt her. She thought they were finally passed excluding one another from things. Especially if they were supposed to be "Cornerstone"s. They've learned how to drive together, went to prom, graduated —hell, they're living _through_ college together.

He noticed her expression deflate slightly, replaced in a split-second by anger. "If you can't give me one good reason I can't go, —my friends and I could split up from you and yours right when we get to wherever we're going— I'm _not_ budging from my decision, _Derek_." She was seething, her eyes turning that familiar shade of electric blue. "You're taking me with you to Las Vegas. And I'll bet you we'll have a grand old time," she finished in a very matter-of-fact tone, turning her head abruptly back to the laptop.

_That's what I'm afraid of._ Derek inwardly groaned, realizing he didn't fight back because a fraction of him _did_ want her there. He shuffled downstairs toward the two adults to share the news.

_**It's a beautiful night,  
We're looking for something dumb to do.**_

It was the last of the four nights, their other companions splayed out across the two joint hotel rooms they booked, the faint buzz of the television still heard, although Casey and Derek were on the balcony. They were laughing and talking, leaning on the railing, slurring their speech slightly, bored and wide awake.

"Didn't I tell you we'd have fun?" drawled the blue-eyed brunette, a slow smile creeping upon her face. She leaned forward on her forearms, looking across the skyline.

Derek reached out and brushed some of her hair back, his eyes half-lidded, shifting himself on his other elbow. "I never said we wouldn't, Princess." He smirked. Casey was now leaning into his hand, a ghost of a grin visible, as her eyes drew to a close.

_So...close._

_**Hey baby,  
I think I wanna marry you.  
**_

Before he knew it, when his eyes reopened, there was a heaving Casey in his arms, her lips parted, both of them trying to catch their breath. He grabbed her by the wrist, a wicked grin emerging. They tiptoed around the battlefield of fallen comrades, quickly heading to the elevator in fits of muffled giggles.

"Where are we going, D?"

"It's Las Vegas, _something's_ gotta be open."

_**Is it the look in your eyes,  
Or is it this dancing juice?**_

This time, it was Casey eagerly leading _him_, the two stumbling into a bar, making their way to the almost-empty dance floor. Fingers intertwined, their bodies swayed, tangent to one another; their breath used only for flirtatious whispering, stolen kisses, and contented sighs.

Between song changes, they drank a little more, guarding themselves a little less. Eventually, with Derek's arm wrapped around Casey's shoulder, and her arm around his waist, they made their way back outside.

In mid-laugh, Derek suddenly cupped the back of Casey's head, pulling her close until their foreheads touched. Although both completely inebriated, he managed to speak without a stutter, keeping his voice louder than the music behind them. "Case, I love you. It's been a while now, I just needed to tell you."

Those familiar electric blues searched his hazel ones, looking for any sign of dishonesty. Finding none, she brushed some of his messy hair away from his forehead, with her face lighting up animatedly. "I have _been_ loving you too, Derek Venturiiii-." She held out the last syllable of his name as she released herself from his grasp, running down the street, laughter heard from a block away.

He follows after her, his own laughter trailing hers.

_**Who cares baby,  
I think I wanna marry you.  
**_

She slowed down, arms thrown up once again, spinning to look at him expectantly. Catching up, Derek looks at their surroundings.

_**Well I know this little chapel on the boulevard we can go,  
No one will know,  
Oh, come on, girl.**_

A flashback from earlier in the day meanders to him.

_The taxi sped through the city, nearing the hotel their party was staying at. Sam laughed, pointing out the window for everyone's gaze to turn towards. He shakes his head, "They really shouldn't have drive-thru lanes for marriages."_

_Amused, Casey argued, "Hey, it's just good business. Drunk people demand it? 'It shall be supplied,' says America."_

_**Who cares if we're trashed got a pocket full of cash we can blow,  
Shots of patron,  
And it's on, girl.  
**_

"Der-ek."

Called out of his reverie, the sight of a smirking Casey, hand on hip, greeted him. She continued. "What, you scared?"

His trademark wolfish grin appeared, shooting back, "Derek Venturi is never scared."

_**Don't say no, no, no, no-no;  
Just say yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah-yeah;  
And we'll go, go, go, go-go.  
If you're ready, like I'm ready.  
**_

He then sprinted toward a surprised Casey, scooping her up over his shoulder.

"Der-ek!"

_**Cause it's a beautiful night,  
We're looking for something dumb to do.  
Hey baby,  
I think I wanna marry you.  
**_

He walked into the chapel like that, with her carried like a sack of potatoes. They signed forms and paid their dues hurriedly. They waited in a room with a dozen other couples, from all walks of life. They were in a cotton-candy cloud that consisted only of each other, interrupted only by one of the employees who briefed them on the speed ceremony.

_**Is it the look in your eyes,  
Or is it this dancing juice?  
Who cares baby,  
I think I wanna marry you.  
**_

He pulled back her rented veil, his breath caught in his throat once again. Yeah, she wasn't as dolled up as the other times he's imagined it, but she was beautiful nonetheless. She was Casey.

_**I'll go get a ring let the choir bells sing like oooh,  
So what you wanna do?  
Let's just run girl.  
**_

"Do you, Derek Venturi, take Casey McDonald to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

"I do."

_**If we wake up and you wanna break up that's cool.  
No, I won't blame you;  
It was fun, girl.**_

"Do you, Casey McDonald, take Derek Venturi to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

"I do."

_**Don't say no, no, no, no-no;  
Just say yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah-yeah;  
And we'll go, go, go, go-go.  
If you're ready, like I'm ready.  
**_

"With the power vested in me, by the state of Nevada, I pronounce you Man and Wife. You may now kiss the bride."

_**Cause it's a beautiful night,  
We're looking for something dumb to do.  
Hey baby,  
I think I wanna marry you.**_

The rest of the night was a whirlwind, both of them suddenly famished for food; finding some, and then somehow found themselves staggering back to their hotel.

_**Is it the look in your eyes,  
Or is it this dancing juice?  
Who cares baby,  
I think I wanna marry you.  
**_

Derek cracked an eye open to the sunlight rudely pounding his pupil. He crinkled his face, noticing the pricks slowly crawling up his arm. Something heavy was weighing it down. Something heavy, and soft, and lavender-smelling. _Casey._ He shifted to unpin his arm and wrap the remaining one around her. She groaned painfully, turning away from the offending light and into his chest.

"Derek, I don't like hangovers."

"Mm," he breathed into her hair.

Ralph, who was face down the edge of the bed, mumbled into the sheets, "Yeah well I don't like you two talking while I'm trying to sleeeeep."

The rest of their friends groaned in agreement, everyone drifting back into a fitful slumber.

_**Just say I do,  
Tell me right now baby,  
Tell me right now baby, baby.**_

Derek and Casey could feel the stares on them, the heat of all their friends' gazes directed at their once-sleeping forms. Waking up with a start, the two sat up, wide-eyed at their group. Wordlessly, and just as wide-eyed, Emily pointed at their loosely entwined left hands.

_**Just say I do,  
Tell me right now baby,  
Tell me right now baby, baby.  
**_

Now, their friends assumed an instant major freak out, complete with ring-throwing and squabbling about a night they _obviously_ didn't remember; but instead, they witnessed an intense stare down between the two, then a look of absolute dread.

In unison, they exclaimed,

"How are we going to tell Dad and Nora?"

"-Mom and George?"

_**Oh, it's a beautiful night,  
We're looking for something dumb to do.  
Hey baby,  
I think I wanna marry you.**_

Emily cleared her throat, bringing up the elephant in the room. "Wait, you two aren't _mad_?"

The question seemed to slightly diffuse the tension in the room, eliciting an awkward laugh from from everyone but the newlyweds, who were still just sitting in the bed. They shared another look when Casey started an explanation.

"Well, uh... Since college uh.." she trailed off, lips parting and closing as if a fish out of water.

Derek cut in, "Let's just say we didn't expect things to go _this_ fast, but it was going to end up there somehow." He wasn't making eye contact with anyone, preferring to stare at the obnoxious floral pattern of the comforter.

_**Is it the look in your eyes,  
Or is it this dancing juice?  
Who cares baby,  
I think I wanna marry you.**_

Casey's head turned in breakneck speed toward the boy, shock apparent in her (and everyone else's) features. Sam was the first to recover.

"You know, usually it's the proposal first, **then** the wedding. But you guys never seem to do anything in order anyway."


	2. Drive By

**Drive By  
**

**Description: **Songfic! Amongst the few businesspeople waiting on a corner, was the all-too familiar sight of the back of a certain keener. He shook his head, attempting to wake up fully, even comically beating the heel of his hand onto the side of his head. ...That couldn't have been Casey.

**Disclaimer / A / N : **I've deleted the stand-alone oneshot in order to place it into this new conglomerate of short stories I'll be adding onto. / Please enjoy the fluff! R&R

I own neither Train's music, nor the wonderful show itself, which was created by Daphne Ballon.

* * *

Twenty-two year old Derek just came from the first brutal workout of his off-season hockey training, trying desperately to keep his eyes open as the red light seemed to take forever and a day to change. Sighing, he turned off the radio when a slew of commercials came on, and drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. His eyes casually scanned the intersection before him.

Amongst the few businesspeople waiting on a corner, was the all-too familiar sight of the back of a certain _keener_. He shook his head, attempting to wake up fully, even comically beating the heel of his hand onto the side of his head. She was immersed by the crowd as it crossed the street, and seeing as he couldn't even find a fleeting view of the mystery girl, he chalked it up to imagination.

_That couldn't have been Casey._

_**On the other side of a street I knew,  
stood a girl that looked like you.  
I guess that's déjà vu,  
but I thought 'this can't be true.'  
'Cause you moved to west LA,  
or New York or Santa Fe,  
or wherever to get away from me...  
**_

The light turned green as he whispered her name. "Casey." It felt foreign to the tongue, although familiar to the lips.

You see, even though they were accepted by the same college, they hardly associated with one another that first year. Yeah, Nora and George talked them into living together in an off-campus apartment, (with both of them fighting tooth and nail not to), but since Derek was mostly a spend-the-night-out person, while Casey was early to bed and early to rise, their paths hardly crossed. It was almost like having an invisible roommate.

They divvied up the chores evenly, (thanks to Casey's color-coded, three-part chart) and considering what had to be done between them on their conflicting schedules, Derek lamely consented. They only saw eachother briefly, if at all, and spent trips back home in relative silence, save for small-talk. They had their spats, of course; but nothing like those at the house —the ones that got their chests heaving and their faces red; eyes full of unspoken mischief... Those days were long gone.

Or so they thought.

They mostly communicated with each other through post-its; pads of multi-colored squares attached to pens, left around the apartment for easy access. At first, they were used to tell eachother what chore or errand they couldn't get done for the day, or what leftovers were provided for one another; but eventually, they started lightheartedly teasing eachother through them. It was Casey to make the change, (not that Derek consciously took note of it or something). (Not like he missed their banter or anything.) (Life without Casey was what he wanted, right? And that's the closest he was going to get.)

He was brushing his teeth late into the second semester, when his eyes flicked over to the bright green square, thinking it was Casey telling him to keep the toilet seat down, _again._

_Looks like that girl last night just __**couldn't stand**__ the 'Venturi Charm'_.

(W-what?) His face turned bright red, yanking the offending statement off the mirror and tossing it into the wastebasket. _Casey_. He wasn't aware she was home when he drunkedly pulled in a scantily-clad blond the other night, just to have his face slapped a couple minutes later due to a random burst of clarity on his behalf. As much of a player as he lead on to be, he never went far with a lot of girls; considering for _years_, he had to skirt around a house full of people, so he didn't have much privacy. And now, even with a basically non-existent Casey, her presence in his living quarters was enough to keep him on his half-virgin streak. He didn't really mind, but the blond did. He had her in his room when he dropped his hands and asked her to leave, causing the girl to automatically connect her palm to his face in a violent manner. Casey just assumed the worst of him. He was slightly offended, but he smirked.

Scribbling down his response, he made sure it was at eye-level for Casey, and left the bathroom.

_Like __**you**__ know anything about the Venturi charm_.

Thinking back, that was the best comeback he could have ever thought of. It got her curious. It was suddenly a post-it war, and their trips back home evolved from small-talk, to knowing smirks and giggles; eyes showing that fire once more. But nothing truly changed from that.

_**Oh, but that one night;  
was more than just right.  
I didn't leave you, 'cause I was all through.  
Oh I was overwhelmed, and frankly scared as hell;  
because I really fell for you...  
**_

He couldn't deny it any longer. There had always just been something between him and Casey, and tonight was the night all the post-it bullshit was going to end. It was almost a year later when he plucked up enough courage to barge into Casey's room like in the olden days.

She was halfway to pulling off her shirt when he came in, spinning around, unaware she was giving Derek a view of the edge of her polka-dot bra. His jaw hung open when she screamed, causing him to compulsively shut the door. Not a half-second later, she threw the door open, pulling him by the shirt collar. She started hitting him, shoving him, yelling at him as he stood still, brows furrowed and eyes still wide.

"_DE-REK_! WHAT do you think you're doing? I know that's what you do at home, but I've been so used to you _not_ doing that —who in the right mind would—!"

He used his hockey reflexes to grab her wrists and kissed her.

It may have seemed spontaneous and brought on by hormones, but it was actually a premeditated act. It was what he originally intended to do, but she didn't know that. She kept fighting back, trying to wriggle out, even though her lips gave into the kiss. Eventually, she calmed down, enough for him to look into her blue eyes intently, hoping they said everything he couldn't.

_**Oh, I swear to you;  
I'll be there for you;  
this is not a drive by.  
Just a shy guy looking for a two-ply  
Hefty bag to hold my, love.  
When you move me, everything is groovy;  
they don't like it sue me.  
Mmm the way you do me.  
Oh, I swear to you;  
I'll be there for you;  
this is not a drive by.  
**_

The moment that woman stepped into his life, he had an inexplicable need to get under her skin. He wanted to elicit the rawest of responses from her, make her blood boil, get her as riled up as he could. And he never could understand why. There were always those few, tender moments that suddenly became more frequent toward the end of highschool; ones that provided glimpses of what actually went on in his subconscious. But all he really knew was that he loved the fact that when he pushed, she pushed back; every time.

Every time.

So when he realized it was actually _her_ he loved, it scared the living daylights out of him. Not just the social ramifications of it all, but the idea that he found himself utterly in love with Casey McDonald, and he had no clue whether she felt the same. He became so dependent on her essence somewhere in his life, that when she graduated early and went overseas for an internship, he found himself feeling numb. And although Derek Venturi doesn't admit to feeling a lot of things, this was the one he couldn't deny.

_**On the upside of a downward spiral,  
my love for you went viral;  
and I loved you every mile you drove away.  
But now here you are again**_—_**  
So let's skip the "how you been?"  
and get down to the "more than friends" at last.  
**_

And now he thinks he saw her. God, this woman was driving him crazy even without being there.

_**Oh, but that one night;  
is still the highlight.  
I didn't need you, until I came to.  
And I was overwhelmed, and frankly scared as hell.  
Because I really fell for you...  
**_

He went on with his college plan of course, getting into the varsity hockey team and whatnot, all the while never forgetting how things escalated from that night. Keeping their relationship on the down-low from their family... sharing nights more intimate than the first. It was almost as if the spark that hid beneath their menacing glares was what ignited the two in more romantic pursuits. It was what brought the heat to their flushed cheeks and clumsy hands; what pushed them to needing eachother's touch.

Derek pulled up to campus, having moved out of the apartment in favor of a free dorm provided by the school for their athletes. The place started feeling more empty anyway.

_**Oh, I swear to you;  
I'll be there for you;  
this is not a drive by.  
Just a shy guy looking for a two-ply  
Hefty bag to hold my, love.  
When you move me, everything is groovy;  
they don't like it sue me.  
Mmm the way you do me.  
Oh, I swear to you;  
I'll be there for you;  
this is not a drive by.  
**_

Finally. Rest was near. He dropped his gear by the door, shuffling off his shoes and stripping off random articles of clothing as he went. Turning on the shower, he stepped in, eyes closing at the warmth of the water, relaxing himself under its flow. He thought he was finished when it came to thinking about Space-Case. He even sent back home every little object he found of hers that snuck into his own things, and now even the imagined sight of her got him dredging up old feelings again? It's been a year and a half.

A year and a half, too long.

He sighed, lathering up his hair. Before she left, they finally unveiled their romantic affair to the family. Everyone was a bit surprised, except for Lizzie who was seen receiving cash from Edwin, and no one ended up chewing them out for it. Probably because of the impending end.

They didn't say much when she left. Just a short hug, with Casey leaning in, voice no higher than a whisper, "Don't wait up."

Derek smiled at the memory. It was something he'd say to her right after dinner, before heading out with the team for some bonding time; or right after a game if anything celebratory was happening that Casey didn't want to attend. But she'd stay up anyway; and he'd find her, hours later, eyes closed and strewn across the couch with an unfinished book on her tummy.

"Don't wait up." At the time, he took it as her telling him to move on, especially since they didn't talk since she left, walking onto the plane without him having said the three words that lingered on his lips... but with the addition of that piece of remembered history—

Then it clicked. Maybe she meant—

_**Please believe, that when I leave;  
there's nothing up my sleeve, but love for you—  
and a little time to get my head together too.  
**_

His thoughts broke as the sound of violent knocking was heard from the dorm's door. With a frustrated sigh, he hurried out of the shower, making sure to get a towel, yelling, "Yeah yeah I'm coming, keep your pants on!" Marching over to the noise, he threw open the door.

_**On the other side of a street I knew,  
stood a girl that looked like you.  
I guess that's déjà vu,  
but I thought 'this can't be true.'  
'Cause—  
**_

There he was, in all his half-naked glory, sopping wet and fully disgruntled. Just how she liked it. She smirked, eyes bright as it followed a drop from his collar bone to his torso. "Looks like you couldn't keep _yours_ on."

He was speechless as she walked past him nonchalantly, setting her bag on his desk. She stepped around his clothes that littered the floor and plopped onto his bed. She looked up at his form, apparently amused by his silence. By this time, he finally snapped out of his stupor, at least closing the door and making his way noiselessly next to her. He too plopped down, finally making eye contact.

"How come you never told me you'd be coming."

"Oh, you and I both know this would be funnier to tell in the long run, right, D?" She flashed him a mischievous grin. He grinned back, leaning in for a kiss.

_**Oh, I swear to you;  
I'll be there for you;  
this is not a drive by.  
Just a shy guy looking for a two-ply  
Hefty bag to hold my, love.  
When you move me, everything is groovy;  
they don't like it sue me.  
Mmm the way you do me.  
Oh, I swear to you;  
I'll be there for you;  
this is not a drive by...**_

Their relationship had never been easy, and it wasn't going to be, especially from then on out; but Derek and Casey both knew it was no mere drive by.

Their eyes opened as he kept an intense gaze on her. "I love you."


	3. Locked in the Library

**Locked in the Library**

**Description:** Freshman year finals, and all Casey wanted to do was take a nap after studying for hours on end. Derek on the other hand, decided to pull another seemingly harmless prank on her; causing chaos to inevitably ensue. They're locked in after hours, who will kill who first? And will things finally be revealed between the both of them?

**Disclaimer / A / N :** Life with Derek is owned by Daphne Ballon. Please, review!

* * *

It was round one of Finals, which meant the revival of Derek and Casey's pseudo-tradition of all-nighters and binge study sessions two weeks until the exams. Contrary to their parents' wishes, they _didn't_ live together that year; Casey opting for an apartment off campus, and Derek using his athletic scholarship for a dorm close to his teammates. So, between the two of them, the year has been fairly peaceful. Their only squabbles consisted of the times when they'd pile into the Prince and go home on weekends (or special occasions) and inevitably get lost (and at one time find that the car isn't in the best of condition).

Derek sighed, his mind wandering to that horridly comical day.

They were already running late that morning because neither of them specified a time for departure, starting the day with an exasperated Derek tapping his foot at the doorway of a half-dressed Casey's apartment; with her frantically checking up on last minute details. "Derek, I turned off the oven from breakfast, right? Oh gosh I hope the sink isn't running, what—"

"Space-Case! Forget **this** year's birthday, if you keep at this pace, _we'll miss Smarty's 18th_!" He closed his eyes, hitting the back of his head rhythmically against the open door.

Suddenly, her voice seemed far away. "I'm already downstairs! Lock up, will you?"

The Prince rolled along as usual for the first quarter of the trip— a brief bicker for radio-control breaking out, an eye-roll acceptance of defeat, (and subsequent peace offering of a snack)— until it violently sputtered to a halt. Both occupants of the vehicle looked at each other wide-eyed.

"De-rek! Did you really forget to get an oil change for the Prince?" A disgruntled blue-eyed brunette leaned out of the window, glaring at her unseen companion.

The man in question pointed a similar look at Casey from behind an open car-hood. "You know _perfectly well_ I don't use this car when I'm on campus, **Princess**. Besides, that 'Check Engine Light' has always been wonky, hasn't it? Just call dad and Nora, they'll probably be able to pick us up." He slammed the hood closed, wiping his hands onto his jeans.

Casey let out a scream, which slightly startled the boy. He was no longer accustomed to her freakouts. She banged her palms against the dashboard. "THIS IS JUST _SO_ YOU! THE _ONE_ THING I RELY ON YOU FOR, AND YOU BLOW IT."

"Relax!" He held his hands up, leaning into the passenger window from the outside. Running a hand through his hair, he sighed. _Gotta lay this one on thick._ "Yeah. You're right. You're always right." He avoided her probing gaze. That _always_ got to him. "I messed this one up real bad." Heavily sighing, he continued, "I spend my days **actually** in class, and my nights practicing _alone_ in the hockey rink even though all my teammates seem to just go out and party. I never really use the car, _but_ I should have just **magically** known—"

"Oh don't you go guilt tripping me, Derek Venturi!" His eyes flickered up to look at her. Although she said that in a convincing manner, even going so far as to crossing her arms and crinkling her brows, she did it in just a way that— "Do you really not go partying?"

_Hook, line, and sinker. _He shifted is weight onto his forearms which were resting across the opening of the window. He was telling the truth, after all. "I don't, Case. Believe it or not, I don't. Now _please_ call our parents?"

He drifted back to the present, his eyes gliding from the page they were stuck on, to the girl herself, who was digging around his backpack for a new piece of lead. _That's right, we haven't seen eachother since then. _It was an unspoken rule. He (for the most part,) stays out of her business, she —his. Just how they wanted it, right?

It was 9pm on this particular grueling Friday; the step-siblings met after their last respective classes of the day at a secluded floor of the library, avoiding any and all confrontation from their peers in order to keep any rumors at bay of their non-existent relationship, as well as stay on task. Casey, who has been up since 7am after pulling an all-nighter on a project, decided to take a break and set an alarm for half an hour on her cell phone.

Derek was in the bathroom when she decided this, and bored out of his mind after realizing she really was going to take a nap, decided it would be funny for him to change the time to 9:30am. He thought he'd get a rise out of her, waking her up at ten, just in time to get one more hour of studying in before the Library closed for the weekend; but he never intended for _himself_ to fall asleep. Really.

Naturally though, he did. And just as naturally, Casey woke up first; her blue eyes shocked at the sheer darkness of the area, realizing both of them must have been asleep for a while so that the motion-detected lights shut off. She sighed, waving her arms dramatically, and relaxed after hearing the comforting sound of the lights flickering back on. Then she looked at the time.

_Midnight. **Midnight?**_

Snapping her head toward the direction of a drooling Venturi, she stood up sharply, causing the chair she sat on to scrape across the floor with the sound of a dying cow. Derek woke up with a start, eyes wide at Casey.

"DE-REK!" She screeched, breath hitching.

The boy stood up, quickly walking around the table toward her, wanting to placate his step-sister. He found that whenever she was in this sorry state, she was about to turn on the water works. _I can't handle crying._

His arms were up, showing defenselessness, as he tentatively stepped toward Casey. "Look Case, the cleaning staff will surely find us, right? It can't be so bad. It's not like they individually lock each floor; we could just go downstairs and open the place from the inside. Or call someone. Breathe, Case. Breathe."

She started pacing, attempting to stop herself from hyperventilating. Running a hand through her hair and biting the nails on her free hand, she tried her best not to look at Derek. Otherwise she was going to explode. _Oh hell with it, I'll end up exploding anyway_.

With a sudden, dangerous calm, she relaxed, looking at him coldly. "Derek. I've spent quite a while safeguarding myself from this exact situation. I know the schedules of their cleaning staff; I know office hours, and I know closing and opening rituals because I've spent mornings here, and I've spent nights here. And you know what?"

She stepped closer to the boy, blue slits looking at him; causing a shiver down Derek's spine. Lifting a hand, Casey pointed a well-manicured finger to his nose, her eyes glowing that familiarly chilling electric blue. He slightly shook his head at her question.

"No. One. Comes. By. During. The. Weekend." With the same breath she dropped her hand and continued, "They _do_ close each individual floor, because some floors have priceless pieces of art and/or periodicals; and if you haven't noticed," She pointed a finger, counting each of the fingers on her opposite hand, "_no texts; no calls;_ no signal."

Then she roughly shoved him, promptly dropping herself to the ground and hugging her knees. Derek kneeled next to her, eyes frantically searching her form. "Are you serious, Case? We're literally stuck here?" His voice unintentionally rose an octave, as he too crumpled to the ground. "Why the fuck do you make us study so late? Why did you keep your phone out in the open where I could _humorously_ change the alarm time—"

"_YOU_, DID THIS? **OF COURSE** YOU'D DO THIS. **OF COURSE **YOU'D THINK THIS WOULD BE HARMLESS AND FUNNY AND _NOT_ RUIN OUR WEEKEND."

"HEY, PRINCESS; I—"

"GET OUT OF MY SIGHT. GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT" She shoved him harshly with each phrase, knocking the wind out of him as he gave up fighting back; retreating to another corner of the room.

For a while, they stayed like that. Casey sat at the study tables, attempting to read her index cards through furious tears; and Derek calming his breathing down through listening to his iPod. But no matter how high he set his volume, Casey's strangled sobbing somehow made its way through.

He sighed. He couldn't deny it. He had a soft spot for her. Walking over, he surprised her by stiffly wrapping his arms around her shoulders from behind, causing herself to let her guard down and melt into the awkward embrace. He didn't even care that she was sogging up his new jacket, or that she was indeed an ugly crier. Derek set his chin onto Casey's shoulder, messy hair blocking his view of her face, and breathing in her scent.

"Look, I'm sorry. But we need to stop fighting for now. At least while we're in here. ...It'll only be this weekend, Case. We've been through worse. ...It isn't the end of the world. Vending machines are by the elevators, and so are the bathrooms..."

Casey let out a shaky breath, shrugging his arms off of her. She turned to look at him, watery smile gracing her face; using her sleeve to wipe her face. "Yeah, I know. _I know_. But Derek, you really are a Grade-A jerk."

He breathed a sigh of relief. They'll be okay. At least for the most part. "Hey." He crossed a finger over his chest, "Once we get busted out of here, you're free to let all hell break loose."

Chuckling slightly, she punched him affectionately on the shoulder. "Sounds like a good deal to me."

Straightening up, Casey decided to restart their studying. After all, they were in the library to do that in the first place.

"Okay, Derek. Name all the provinces and territories of Canada."

"Case... It's been two hours. This is the fifth cycle through of your damn flashcards, can we _please_ take a break?"

"Fine." Derek stood up, pulling change out of his pocket. She started rifling through her bag, "Get me something out of the machine, too."

He gently pushed her hand back down, before walking away. "Don't worry, I'll cover for you."

"Oh... uh thanks!"

They kicked their shoes off by their backpacks and shifted away from the desks, sitting between two high shelves. Popping something chocolate into his mouth, Derek asked, "Hey, what books are on this floor anyway? Maybe they'll be interesting."

Casey pulled out a book, reading the title aloud. "_History's Escapists_" They shared a look, as Derek silently urged her to pull out another. "_Canada's Secret Past: Prisons and Convicts and Who Disappeared_...?" She cleared her throat uncomfortably. "Uh... Derek..."

"Yeah, we shouldn't read any of this stuff." Quickly, he crawled over to snatch the book out of her grasp and shove it back into its place.

"Let's just... let's play a game." He smirked mischievously. She knew that look, and visibly gulped, yet feigned confidence. "Two truths and a lie."

Turning her chin up to look him straight in the eye, she scoffed. "Oh come on, Derek. We've been living with eachother for so long, you don't think we'll end up in a tie or something?"

"Scared you'll lose?"

"Fat chance."

Derek unplugged his earphones from his iPod and placed it in a bowl (previously filled with paperclips) to amplify its music and take up the silence.

"Who's first?"

Casey shrugged nonchalantly. "You, I guess."

"I have a birthmark shaped like Mickey Mouse. I wear boxers. I'm a virgin."

"Hah! **I'm** the one with the birthmark, _Derek_." A look of surprise overcame the both of them. (Derek didn't realize that's where his lie came from, and Casey... well Casey couldn't stop herself from saying what comes next). "Wait, how would you know about that birthmark? And— and _you're a virgin_?" She didn't even try to stop her jaw from dropping.

His smirk grew at her reaction. "You try getting laid with six other people in the house. _Oh wait._"

She made a movement to tackle him, but his reflexes were too quick, and using her momentum, he pinned _her_ to the ground. She writhed beneath him, his knees locking hers, and her wrists wrapped by his larger hands, he looked down at her quizzically.

"What, Case. You really thought no one knew about that?"

"_De-rek_." Her voice was low, he was treading dangerous ground. Never mind the fact that this game was supposed to be lighthearted. Never mind the fact that this was all caught on camera; Derek needed to **shut up**. And she needed to do it quick before he made her relive the most embarrassing moment of her young adult life.

She gritted her teeth. "Forget what you saw."

"But Princess, that's an _impossible_ feat. After all—"

"I'm still a virgin."

He sputtered a bit, loosening his grip, as she fought against the boy. "Wait— I know what I saw and—"

She winced at his renewed pressure. "Yeah well, because of what you saw, I didn't go through with it." Her voice changed to just above a whisper. "And I probably won't for a long time, _thanks_." Tears were threatening to seep out from the corner of her eyes, as she looked away from him. Quickly, Derek backed off of her as if he was burnt.

He never understood where the line was with her. Granted, he always threatened to cross it, and most of the time he honestly didn't care of its existence; but this was purely unintentional. He was expecting a blush, or a freaked out scolding, maybe even a tumult of punches. But tears? _No, not again. I can__**not**__ do tears._

She blinked them back, though. He made her relive the embarrassment again. The shame, the look on Derek's face when she first found out he knew; knowing he didn't _really_ know.

Taking a deep breath, she looked him square in the eye. "That's right, Derek. You ruined probably my only chance of uh..." She blushed slightly, her façade faltering. "..._relations_ before marriage."

He glared at her, slightly offended at her accusation. "You just found out I'm still a virgin, what's the difference?"

She completely turned away now, intently staring at the pattern on the carpet. "You're not a _keener_, that's the difference. You probably just have to go to _one_ party, and it wouldn't take that long for you to have your arm around some _sleaze_ of a girl." Sniffling slightly, Casey looked up once more at him, who seemed to look back at her with a mixture of hurt and disbelief.

He shook his head, chuckling sardonically. "What kind of guy do you think I am?" She broke eye contact. "No, _look at me_." She shook her head, refusing to; but he continued. "Do you seriously still think of me as that person you met? That _kid_ whose hormones took over his morality? That I'll let _any_ girl in my bed? Because if you do, those years we've spent under the same roof apparently never proved you differently, no matter how hard I've tried."

He stood up, stomping away; leaving the music that was playing the whole time to resonate between their emptiness.

Casey was just shaking her head. Just shaking it, slowly and quickly; as thoughts flitted around in her conscience. _My favorite song is playing. This is Derek's iPod. Did he download it **because** it's __my __favorite song, or did he like it before I came along? ...What am I __**thinking**__? I've just insulted this man's __**ethics**__, and all I'm thinking about is myself?_ Shakily, she stood up, breath shallow as she scanned the room for him. She silently moved by the elevators, finally seeing him attempting to punch a stuck potato-chip bag from the vending machine.

"Derek?" She called out, voice heavy with regret. "I... I'm sorry. I should know better about your character. I should be more conscious about how much you've changed..."

He stopped his ministrations, slumping his head against the machine's glass. Casey slowly stepped over, gently placing her hand onto his shoulder and moving in to hug _him_ from behind. They stood like that for a moment, before he straightened up and turned himself around within her arms, engulfing her within his embrace.

Derek's cheek rested atop her head, as she listened intently at his heartbeat. She started speaking again. "Did you really... did you really change for me?"

"...Nah. But I changed... _because_ of you. Geez Case, you're so egotistical."

She let out a small laugh, pushing him slightly to look into his hazel eyes. Her face softened when she finally had a good look at him, slightly moving his hair from his forehead. Before both of them knew it, they shared the softest of kisses.

The Library's manager found them that morning, snuggled beneath the study desks, away from the miniscule amount of light that peaked through the high windows. After receiving complaints from passerby's of a single floor's activated lights during most of the night, he felt as if he needed to investigate.

This wasn't the first time a person was locked in after hours; but it was definitely the first time he had played a part in someone else's love story. The man himself wasn't much a romantic though, opting to wake them up by slamming the doors open between the main room and the elevator hall, yelling Yugoslavian threats at the two intruders.

Oh well, at least that night was another of those shared adventures the two of them can put under their belts.


End file.
